The Monday Meeting: Careers vs. Jobs
Hi guys, welcome to the first installment of The Monday Meeting.
This is the project that I’ve been working on for the past couple of weeks and it’s also the change that I alluded to a few weeks ago.
Every Monday we’re going to have a little meeting and the focus of every week is going to be about being a young professional and more specifically, the transition from being in college/university to being a young professional. I plan on having guest bloggers as well as talk about different studies, other blog posts, careers, work-life balance, advice, social media, online presence and many other things.
I really want to turn our weekly “meeting” into a conversation, so look for my replies to your comments in the comment section. Also, please feel free to leave more then one comment in reply to someone else so we can keep the discussion going; this is a meeting after all!
Basically, I want our “meetings” to grow and expand as our careers and lives grow and expand.
Before going onto today’s topic, if you think you would like to guest post for The Monday Meeting please don’t hesitate to contact me!
—————————
I thought we’d start our first Monday Meeting by discussing our jobs and/or careers and what the difference is between a job and a career to us.
According to this article on Get Rich Slowly the distinction between a career and a job is artificial, every job we have is part of our career and over the course of our lifetimes, they all group together to form our career. Also, he points out that every job deserves our best effort.
While I agree with him that every job deserves our best effort (you never know when a bad reference is going to come back to haunt you), I don’t know if I agree that all the jobs we hold are part of our career.
For me, even though I’ve been working at “jobs” since I was 13, I feel like my career has just started. If I had to sum my career up in one word, I guess I would say writer, because that’s what I do and most importantly, what I want to do. I write newspaper articles, I write magazine articles , I write blogs, I write all kinds of different things at work.
Another way I differentiate a career from a job is by measuring the passion. Sure, I’ve had jobs I liked, even loved, but I’ve never had anything that I was as passionate about as my current career.
So, let’s discuss. Do you agree that the distinction between a job and career is artificial? Why or why not? What is your job OR career? If you could sum up what your career in one word, what would that word be?
I guess in a sense every job may be part of your overall career by default, but not necessarily your TRUE career – like you say, I’ve worked a ton of random customer service type jobs but I feel my career has only just started over the last couple of years with my first media jobs. I guess you’d say, my “professional” jobs.
But personally, I see career jobs as being relevant to your field, the field you devote yourself to and have training, experience or passion for. Even if you were an aspiring teacher, waiting tables in between classes, I wouldn’t count the waitressing as part of their career – but I’d count the tutoring they do in their own time.
Giving this some thought – I DO think that every job is part of your career. I’ve had Plenty of jobs that were not AT ALL related to my Long term career goals (i.e. Library & nutrition? not similar
), but I still Learn something from every experience. Whether you like a job or not, you gain Something from it – transferable work skills (guest service, work ethic, management styles you Like or Don’t like, friendships, networking, etc). I think that with every job and experience you learn at least one more thing about what you do/don’t enjoy in the workplace, and where you do/don’t want to go with your ultimate career path.
That being said – it would obviously help to have More “jobs” that ARE related to your career goals to gain experience.
Just sayin’ that even the random ones teach you *something* if you let them….
I think that every job contributes to your experience in the workforce and you can take skills from that and use them the next place you work, but I don’t think of my job right now as part of my career because it’s not ultimately what I want to end up doing.
I completely agree with you, Becky. Every job is important for your experience in the workforce, but not every job is part of your career!
I think that statement is true from a post-collegiate perspective (of course, you are kind of the exception to this statement because the jobs you hold now are so closely tied to what you want to do, they then become part of your career). I didn’t realize that all my ‘jobs’ after college would be part of my career, but in hindsight they were. I started off in operations and ended up in finance. These are 2 completely different career paths, but the skills I developed in my first couple of jobs have helped me so much in my current finance career. Plus in those first couple of jobs, I was building a reputation, which is so important when you want to advance in your career.
If I had to sum up my career in one word, the obvious word would be Finance. The not so obviously word would be collaborative. I work w/ so many different people to solve various problems, it’s so important to work with others!
Great Monday theme! This is so much fun!
I think that’s a good point, Lisa. Post-college we are all (or most of us) are at least working towards our career so post-collegiate jobs are more likely to be a part of our career path then pre-collegiate ones.
I need to think of a not-so-obvious word to describe my career! I like that!
I think that all jobs you hold throughout your life make up who you are in your career, however a job is something I tend to think of more as “work” and a career is something I see as more of a “passion.”
That is a great point, Jolene. All our jobs make up WHO we ARE in our career, but not necessarily our career itself.
I agree on the passion aspect of things, I actually had originally wrote a lot more about how a career is something you’re passionate about but then the blog post got too long! Haha
yes, a job and a career are different. If you have figured out where your passions lie and can figure out a career that will make you happy, that’s great.
I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. And I’ve been at my job for 19yrs. sigh.
I do agree that the difference between a “job” and a “career” is artificial because when I think job, I think of somewhere that I work to make ends meet, it’s not necessarily something I want to do for the rest of my life. Currently I work at a bank while going to school, but that is no where near what I want to be doing.
I’m a psychology major so the word I would use to describe my future career would be “psychologist” and I think that until I get to a job that has anything to do with being a psychologist, I won’t be starting my career.
I think you learn something from every job you have… In fact, I wrote about it once (http://carichblogs.wordpress.com/2008/10/28/to-all-the-jobs-i%E2%80%99ve-had-before/)
I disagree with the comments that say a job is just a job, whereas a career is a “passion.” Yes, a career is the line of work you devote your time and studies to, but even if you’re doing EXACTLY what you trained for, the “passion” is bound to wane from time to time. And people often switch careers/industries many times over the course of their working lives.
I have a “career” right now, but some days it just feels like a job. And that’s okay
That’s a good point, Cari. While *most* days I LOVE my work, there are definitely days when it feels like a job that I HAVE to go too.
On the other hand, when I had “jobs” I almost *always* dreaded going to them and the only thing that kept me going on MOST days was the money. So that’s how I differentiate it in my head, a career “job” is something I not only WANT to do, it’s something I ENJOY doing. Whereas a job job was something I did because I needed to!
This is a great idea, Amber!
I think there is a difference between a “job” and a “career”. I think it is about permanence – if I know I don’t want to spend more than a year or two in a position, for me it is a job and nothing more. The skills you learn at a job are usually beneficial to your career, but that doesn’t make them part of it. I really don’t believe that all of the time I spent as a waitress, in retail, or as a barista are part of my career.
The first job I considered part of my career was the one I took working for an investment advisor early last year. I don’t consider my current position at the brewery as a job, because my career has started. Such a nice feeling!
It really is a great feeling when you WANT to go to work, hey!?
I wonder if I could call my career PEOPLE? I know that sounds odd but I started being around and working with people at a young age via babysitting, mother’s helper, nannying. Now, in my career I’m always working with people. Organizing them. Planning for them. Helping them do their job. My current job is basically a giant organizer and idea generator (event planning & marketing). But is that my career? Probably not. Will I be doing this my whole life? Probably not. But is there a common thread through my jobs? Yup. I’d say people and helping people do their job more effectively, with the tools they need. I could be wrong, though.
I’d really enjoy being a Life Coach at some point in my life and still kind of wish I had gone into counseling and/or law to help others too. Maybe some day…!? =)
It’s never too late to do something you love
My jobs over the years have been VERY people-involved too; babysitting, serving, lifeguarding. My current job is the least people-focused one I’ve had yet, actually!
I think I agree with you. I do not look at my jobs as a hostess at Fridays and a bakery girl at Pavilions as part of my career. though, early on, I did put them on my resume because it was some of the only work experience I had and I did learn from them (especially “people skills”
). I have just started my career in the last few years, and I would classify my career as “writer,” too. Now, I only have my work at my college newspaper, my writing internships and my current job on my resume, not my previous, passion-less part-time jobs at the restaurant and grocery store!
I have done a major overhaul to my resume, too since I’ve started getting jobs/internships etc. that relate to my current career path.
However, I did leave a section on there called “Other Relevant Experience” and put that I had served for four years as well as lifeguarded and managed a small group of people. Even though those aren’t directly related to my career path it shows potential employers that I have a lot of people experience as well as management experience!
Hey amber, what a great idea for a blog discussion
After reading everyone’s comments and your blog, I have realized that i’ve never really thought about this in much detail before. At first, I was going to say that every job that I have had will help me to mould my career. I don’t consider working at McDonalds as my first job to really be a part of my career, but more or less as a prerequisite. I don’t think that many people can start their “career” from their first job. When you start your first job, the only thing you see is money! You always end up learning so much more. The jobs are like the practice to give you the experience needed to start your career. The average person holds around 7 different careers in their lifetime, so the experiences that you have can influence where your career may lead you!
Now that I’ve read everyone else’s comments, I don’t really know what to think (clearly, I am easily influenced by other’s opinions). I have never given the term “career” much thought. Very interesting!
I don’t really think that every job is a career, but I do think that every job has the potential to contribute to your career.
I’ve worked in retail off and on for years. While retail is DEFINITELY not my career, I think it’s contributed to my work ethic and how I interact with people. That in turn will contribute to my actual career some day. So I don’t think those retail jobs were a waste at all. My thesis advisor always brings up things he learned in past jobs, from fast food cook to copy editor (and he’s a psych professor!). All the same, when it comes to choosing what I put on my vitae for grad school, I’ll probably focus more on my research jobs since those are more directly related.
~Amanda
Agree, Amanda!
I think that ALL of our work experience is important, but I just don’t consider it all part of my career!
I agree with you that not every job is part of your career. I have worked at gyms, chocolate stores, etc that were not part of my career- but as other posters have said- things I learned did CONTRIBUTE to my career, just weren’t necessarily part of it.
Right now my job as a kindergarten teacher is definitely part of my career
This is a really great idea to have a Monday meeting, I love it!
As I am changing careers I have no idea if there is a distinction. I’ll get back to you on that! LOL!
I’ll post about it tomorrow.
BTW, thanks for the kudos on my blog. You are very sweet!
A career is a collection of the different jobs you have. you might want to discuss profession vs trade in a future meeting. as a software developer, i have been doing IT work over the last 10 years in 6 different jobs (the last one I just started a month ago).
if you enter a profession you can do the same basic role for multiple companies, or move between roles when you move between companies.
I think that’s a really good point someone can work in the same profession there whole life but have several different jobs. Personally, I relate profession more to career than “job”, though!
I would love to leave a productive comment… but I have a massive cold and headache going on right now. I have trouble even remembering what it is I’m studying!!! (I wish I was kidding)
So I will pass for this time but I am SO looking forward to those discussions every monday, I think it’s a great idea Amber!
In college I heard somebody say that the distinction between a job and a career is that a job is a means to an end – a paycheck. A career is something you’re passionate about, something you would do for free if you had to (but hope you can make your living at forever!). I don’t know if that would apply in every situation, but in general it sums up my thoughts on the subject.
I worked at the front desk of our student center for a year in college as my first job (I only babysat in high school). I think I definitely learned things from that experience that I carry with me today, but I would never put it on my resume. It just kept me in movie tickets and laundry detergent in my first year. It has nothing to do with my career as an attorney.
However, my years spent working and volunteering for political campaigns were jobs that I absolutely consider part of my career journey as they majorly contributed to my experience in law school.
I love the idea of these Monday Meetings!
Well said, Amanda.
I know that I would write for free if I *had* to/could afford it. Heck, I kind of do write for free by blogging. Kind of, maybe? Haha.
I think that to GET a career, doing free/volunteer work is very important, though. I would not be on the same path that I am today if I had not done an un-paid internship and submitted several articles for free just so I could get the clippings and build my portfolio.
I definitely think that there is a distinction between a job and a career… and I am living proof of it right now. haha! Right now I’m working a part-time job that has absolutely NOTHING to do with my chosen career–what I went to school for and received a professional designation for–but I need something to pay the bills.
Jobs are what you do to get you into your career, your “stopping” point, if you will. A career is really more of a field in my mind, and less of singular position / job.
Great idea and topic! I think the difference between a job and career is that with a career you have aspirations to go further and no set bar or plateau. I think ‘jobs’ are great experiences to show you a variety of skill sets to show what you want to pursue further into a career. Ex) Although bartending was a job that I had no plans of turning into a career it showed that I like to multitask and work with the public which lead to event coordination down the road.
Hey, Meghan! Great example of how a “job” can lead you to your “career”. I think that the two are VERY different, but also intertwined things. I think that you NEED to go through jobs to get your career and that jobs can also help you figure out what your career should be!
my career summed up in one word….hmmm…
“non-exsistant”
There is a HUGE difference for me between a job and a career. To me a job is just a paycheck. A career is what you do with your life professionally. The year I wasn’t running a store and took a desk job in administration at a college was one of the worst years of my life. I was unhappy and depressed. I wasn’t making the money I knew I deserved, did not feel important and I wasn’t challenged. That was a job. It paid the bills. When a position opened up again with my old company I couldn’t leave fast enough.
I consider myself very lucky to have “fallen into” what I love to do! It is my career without a doubt and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!
What a great blog topic! I’m loving this new feature, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!
I think the differencec between ‘job’ and ‘career’ in in your attitude. if you see it as puttng yourself in stasis from 9-5 then it’s not really a part of your life, it just takes up a lot of your time, whereas if you see it as a learning opportunity and take the lessons from that and apply it to your next job, that’s a career.
Although on paper I guess they all make up a career though.
Awesome post!
Amber, I’m liking the great discussion going on here. Personally, I almost cringe at the word job, but you know what, it’s what pays the bills.
I see a job as a part of your career because like many others have said, each job and experience helps us be better at our careers whether we learn how to deal with coworkers better, how to manage our time, how to communicate better or how to actually excel in our career field.
My time babysitting taught me patience and how to treat others. My part time summer job before college at a plastic factory taught me to appreciate each and every person. You never know how tough someone’s life might be. It also taught me to appreciate my college degree.
My career is marketing. I’m not sure that it will always be that way, but in some way marketing will always be involved because I have a great interest and understanding in it.
Oh and a short little article I just found about 7 Job Hunt Mistakes that New Grads Make…http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/7-job-hunt-mistakes-new-grads-make.html
kind of relevant.
In my opinion a career is something you WANT to do, while a job is mostly something you HAVE to do.
like this…